TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Ministry of Health is set to start administering the second COVID-19 vaccine booster for the public on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, as an effort to accelerate vaccination while increasing protection against the virus.

"In the next one to two weeks, people aged 18 years and over may get the second booster without waiting for a ticket/invitation. The recording is still being done manually while waiting for the Pcare and PeduliLindungi applications to be prepared," said the Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr. Muhammad Syahril in an official statement.

The policy is stipulated in the Ministry of Health Circular Letter No. HK.02.02/C/380/2023 concerning The Second Booster Shots for The General Public issued by the Director General of Disease Prevention and Control on January 20, 2023.

The type of vaccine to be used is a vaccine that has received the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), namely Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, Janssen, Sinopharm, and Covovax.

No Special Requirements

The second booster shot can be given six months after the first booster shot. The vaccination must also be carried out at a health service facility and/or at a COVID-19 vaccination service post.

Syahril further called on people who have not received a complete course of COVID-19 vaccination and the first booster to immediately visit healthcare facilities or the nearest vaccination center so that virus prevention efforts could run optimally.

“Don't delay and don't be picky about vaccines because the best vaccine is the ones that are available now,” Syahril emphasized.

YAYUK WIDIYARTI

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo in Google News